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PHOENIX FOUNDRY

Millwood

Todmorden

 

Map Ref. SD946244

 

Known occupiers

 

1833

Building on site on Stansfield Township Map

1848

Iron foundry on 6” OS map

1851-1893

BARKER Jonathon, engineering

BARKER Robert

BARKER John

BARKER James

1894-1899

GLEDHILL Jonathon

1902-1908

KINGHORN Arthur & Co., engineering

 

Additional information

 

Notes from contemporary historian John Travis:

About 1860-61, Jonathan Barker built a foundry behind Phoenix. He then went in for Room and Power speculation and built a weaving shed behind the Shannon & Chesapeake Inn near his works. It was immediately let to tenants. Before the Phoenix Foundry was built castings made for Barkers by James Stansfield at Salford Old Foundry.

 

Census 1841

Jonathan Barker, Millwood, aged 35, millwright

 

White 1847

Jonathan Barker, iron and brass founders, engineers, millwrights, Millwood

 

Census 1851

Jonathan Barker, Millwood, aged 46, millwright.

 

Stansfield Rates Book 1854

Owner & occupier John Barker; shop and power at Millwood; rateable value £54.0s.6d; new shed £2.18s.4d.

Slater 1855

Jonathan Barker, Phoenix Ironworks Millwood, ironfounders.

 

Stansfield Rates Book 1860

Owner & occupier John Barker; shop and power at Millwood; rateable value £124.9s.0d.

 

Kelly 1861

Jonathan Barker, engineer and millwright, Phoenix Foundry

 

Census 1861

Jonathan Barker, Millwood, aged 56, millwright employing 31 men and 8 boys.

John Barker, (son) aged 23, millwright.

James Barker, (son) aged 21, millwright.

Robert Barker, Millwood, aged 25, millwright.

 

Halifax Guardian 14th March 1863

Accident at Millwood -

On Tuesday as one of the sons of Mr. Jonathan Barker, millwright, etc., of Mill Wood, and one of the workmen were engaged in loading a cannon, which was at the time not quite cool, it burst, and some of the fragments struck them in the face, but fortunately their injuries were not serious,

 

White 1866

Jonathan Barker, iron & brass founders, machine makers, Phoenix Foundry Millwood

 

Stansfield Rates Book 1867

Owner & occupier John Barker; shop and power at Millwood; rateable value £163.1s.0d.

 

15th April 1868

Mr. Jonathan Barker, engineer, Millwood, a gentleman well known and highly respected, died suddenly from a second attack of paralysis at his own house.

 

Stansfield Rates Book 1868

Occupied by Robert Barker & Bros; owned by Jonathan Barker executors; mill and power, Millwood; rateable value £165.4s.0d.

 

Stansfield Rates Book 1870-1878

Occupied by Jonathan Barker & sons; owners Jonathan Barker executors; mill and power; Millwood; rateable value £180.16s.3d.

 

Kelly 1871

Jonathan Barker, engineer & millwright, Phoenix Foundry Millwood

 

Census 1871

Robert Barker, Millwood, aged 35, engineer and millwright

John Barker, Haugh, millwright.

James Barker, Castle Grove, millwright.

 

Fielden papers 6th November 1879

Fire at Jonathan Barker & Sons, Millwood. Fielden’s fire engine attended.

 

Stansfield Rates Book 1880-1881

Owned and occupied by Jonathan Barker & Sons; foundry etc; Millwood; re-valued £165.

1881 – extension £18.

 

Census 1881

Robert Barker, Millwood, aged 45, engineer and millwright master employing 38 men and 8 boys.

John Barker, Cornfield Villas, mechanical draughtsman.

James Barker, Leeming Hall, engineer and millwright.

 

Stansfield rates Book 1890

Owned and occupied by Jonathan Barker & Sons; foundry etc; Millwood; re-valued £192.5s.0d. (James Barker house Leeming Hall, Robert Barker house 16 Millwood, John Barker house Cornfield Villas.)

 

Census 1891

Robert Barker, Millwood House, aged 54, engineer and millwright.

John Barker, Cornfield Villas, aged 52, engineer and millwright.

James Barker, Leeming Hall, aged 51, engineer and millwright.

 

Kelly 1893

Jonathan Barker & sons, engineers & millwrights, Phoenix Foundry Millwood.

 

Todmorden Advertiser 11th August 1893

Auction 23rd-28th August at Phoenix ironworks – plant. Due to an agreement with Jonathan Gledhill, Receiver in Chancery of the estate of the late Jonathan Barker of Millwood, and Richard Crabtree as trustee in bankruptcy of Robert and John Barker.

 

Stansfield Rates Book 1894-1899

Occupied by Jonathan Gledhill; owner not recorded; foundry etc; Halifax Road; rateable value £192.5s.0d.

1899 – workshop occupied by George Woodhead; rateable value £5.10s.0d.

 

23rd July 1896

At the White Hart Hotel Todmorden, Mr. J. Gledhill offered for sale the stone built engineering and millwright works known as Phoenix Foundry, Millwood comprised in Lot 1. Not a single bid could be obtained. Lots 2 and 3 comprised the 2 semi detached villa residences at Cornfield Villas, which were bought by the tenants for £270 and £290 respectively.

 

Census 1901

Robert Barker, Millwood House, aged 64, consultant engineer.

 

Coronation souvenir 1902

A. Kinghorn & Co, machine makers; Phoenix Foundry, Halifax Road, Todmorden

 

28 April 1906.

Death of Mr. James Barker, at his residence, "Barcroft", Wetherby Lane, Harrogate, in his 67th year.

James Barker

 

Todmorden & Hebden Bridge Almanac 1907

Obituary of James Barker of Phoenix Ironworks.

It is our painful duty to place on record the death of Mr. James Barker, which occurred on Friday 27th April 1906 at his residence “Barcroft”, Wetherby Lane, Harrogate. For some time Mr. Barker had suffered from heart affection and shortly after rising on the morning of the 25th April he complained of indisposition, and almost immediately fell face downwards across the bed, having been seized with a stroke. He never recovered, and peacefully passed away two days afterwards, a forcible illustration of the biblical quote “in the midst of life we are in death.”

Deceased was the son of the late Mr. Jonathan Barker, the founder of Phoenix Ironworks at Millwood, a firm of millwrights and ironworkers, which achieved distinction over a wide area, far and near. At one period, the firm did the bulk of the ironwork in the Hebden Bridge district, and received numerous orders from outlying districts. The subject of our notice was the youngest of three sons, who in due course took a keen interest in the Phoenix Ironworks, proving himself a practical craftsman as well as a man of business. He was twice married, his first wife being Miss Ellen Holt of Lumbutts, with whom he had a short married life, and by whom he had one daughter. He subsequently married Miss Cockcroft of Machpelah, Hebden Bridge and for many years they resided at Leeming Hall, Millwood. It was at this period of his life that he became a member of the Todmorden Board of Guardians, being ultimately appointed chairman of that body. Eventually he removed to Harrogate, where he passed the remainder of his days, with occasional visits to this locality. He was a very genial and sociable character, and appreciated good company, and his bonhomie gained him a reputation that found him admittance into almost any society. In his younger days he followed the Todmorden hounds, and on removing to Harrogate again indulged in this favourite pastime. On two or three occasions he entertained the committee of the Hebden Bridge Constitutional Club when on their annual picnic to Harrogate. His hospitality extended in varied directions, and it was with a special pleasure that he entertained the members of the Todmorden Board of Guardians and their wives.

His remains were interred at Harlow Cemetery, Harrogate, on Tuesday May 1st. His widow, two sons and one daughter survive him.

 

Kelly 1908

A Kinghorn & Co; engineers; Millwood.

 

12th January 1911

Death of Mr. Arthur Kinghorn, head of the firm of Messrs Kinghorn & Co. Phoenix Ironworks, Millwood Todmorden, aged 44 years.